Apple cake

A French Style Apple Cake with tender yet not pulpy apples, in a creamy, custard-like base, topped by a light, cakey top, and a crisp crust.

French Apple Cake
Serves 8 to 10

Note: The microwaved apples should be pliable but not soft when cooked. To test, take one apple slice and try to bend it. If it snaps in half, microwave for an additional 30 seconds and test again

1 ½ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, and sliced thin crosswise
1 tbs Calvados
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup (5 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 l egg
2  egg yolks
Icing sugar / confectioner’s sugar for serving

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch spring-form pan with vegetable oil spray. Place prepared pan on rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Place apple slices into microwave-safe pie plate, cover, and microwave for 3 minutes, until apples are pliable and slightly translucent. Toss apple slices with lemon juice and Calvados, and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

2. Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder together in bowl. Whisk whole egg, oil, milk, and vanilla together in second bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to separate bowl and set aside.

3. Add egg yolks to batter and whisk. Using spatula, gently fold in cooled apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using a  spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface.

4. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons flour into reserved batter. Pour over batter in pan and spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar evenly over cake.

5. Bake until center of cake is set, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 1 ¼ hours. Transfer pan to wire rack; cool 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioner’s sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.

Introducing PASHEN

I'm a chocoholic and tend to think 'healthy' alternatvives are not tasty - till tody...
I was kindly sent some samples of PASHEN to review - and i have converted!

Introducing Pashen, your new best food friend, conveniently packaged as a raw, organic, superfood energy bar.
Pashen bars are raw, sprouted and gluten-free. But more than that, they're yummy, delish, and nutrish.
Invented by Lisa Wilson, a nutritionist mom, in response to the not-so-healthy treats and snacks she found lurking everywhere from sports practice to school lunches, Pashen bars are made by hand in Minnesota by Lisa's sister and brother, Wendy and Pol, using the highest quality, freshest ingredients like rich cacao (raw chocolate), antioxidant-filled goji berries, and locally harvested honey.

The best part is, Pashen bars are great for everyone: kids, moms, dads, everyone is in love with our original and cacao versions. Pack them for snacks for your kids, keep some in your purse for an on-the-go breakfast. They're great as a meal replacement, or...dessert!
Taste Pashen, and I think you will love them too. It's an easy way to make healthy eating convenient and delicious.

Pashen Original Raw Bar is loaded with flavor and nutrition. Ingredients include organic, sprouted and dehydrated buckwheat, organic pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cranberries, goji berries and sesame seeds; honey, agave nectar; almond butter and cacao butter, all raw and organic; and the perfect amount of organic cinnamon and vanilla.

 Pashen Cacao Raw Bar packs all the flavor and nutrition of the Pashen Original Raw Energy Bar, with the added bonus of a delectable layer of cacao chocolate on top created from a blend of raw cacao butter and cacao powder, with a hint of real vanilla bean and a touch of organic agave nectar. Organic, healthy and delicious, a treat for all.

Sprouted and Organic Almonds

Almonds are rich in potassium, dietary fiber and magnesium to support a healthy heart and immune system.

Sprouted and Organic Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a near perfect food - they have amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids, contain many B vitamins, as well as C, D, E and K. They also have wonderful minerals like calcium, potassium, phosphorous and niacin.

Organic Sesame Seeds

Sesame seeds are a very good source of manganese and copper as well as calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber.

Organic Dried Cranberries

Cranberries contain a source of pythochemicals known as condensed tannins - this means these berries are powerful antioxidants with an anti-inflammatory effect.

Raw and Organic Cacao

Cacao is a raw chocolate from the rainforest that many nutritional experts believe to be a super-food. Super-foods are food with antioxidants that are nearly off the charts in comparison to other foods. Most importantly, pure chocolate is believed to stimulate various neurotransmitters such as serotonin.

Raw and Organic Goji Berries

The goji berry is well known for its high antioxidant properties. Goji berries are rich in many nutrients, minerals and amino acids.

Chocolate for Valentines day!

 

Here is a great recipe i found on Foodista

Ingredients

 

3 1/2 ounces (100 g) dark chocolate, chopped

6 tablespoons (3 ounces, 85 g) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing ramekins

2 egg yolks

2 eggs

salt

1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar

2/3 cup (75 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting ramekins

1 tablespoon of liquor per ramekin (or according to taste)

 

Method

Melt the chocolate and butter together in bain-marie and then let cool for a few minutes.

Whip eggs, egg yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt until a light yellow color. Add the melted chocolate and the flour.

Grease and flour 5 or 6 ramekins (or oven-proof glass cups) tapping out the excess flour.

Divide the chocolate cream among the ramekins

Stir in 1 tablespoon of liquor into each ramekin and stir.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about one hour or until you are ready to bake.

Pre-heat the oven to 450° F (230° C) and bake for about 13 minutes.

Remove from the oven, edges should be firm but the center will be runny.

Run a sharp knife around each cake and unmold onto serving plates. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately